The meeting was organised by Baron Lansley CBE, who also heads up the Cambridgeshire Development Forum, assisted by Cambridge Ahead. In the light of the EU Referendum result, Baron Lansley has drafted The Cambridge Declaration, which seeks to reassert the values and objectives of the Cambridge community now that Brexit is to take place. He has also drafted The Cambridge Mandate which is to be a policy document that seeks to map out the best available outcome for the Brexit process, and is being developed as a blueprint for how Cambridge expects the next Government to approach its negotiations for leaving the EU.
The aim of the morning meeting was to hear the views of the leaders, who had already had sight of both documents, and to reach a consensus how the country and Cambridge should react to Brexit.
A wide range of leaders and influencers attended including various leaders and members from Cambridge Ahead, Iain Martin (Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University), Heidi Allen MP (South Cambs), Daniel Zeichner MP (Cambridge), Lucy Frazer MP (South East Cambs), Vicky Ford (MEP East of England), and Lewis Herbert (Leader, Cambridge City Council). See a list of attendees.
The meeting was closed to media in order to enable free-speaking but there was a press conference afterwards, followed by 1:1 interviews with media. Lord Lansley opened the event, and was followed by Ian Mather, Chairman of Cambridge Ahead. After other scheduled speeches by key leaders such as the MPs, the meeting was opened to the floor.
Whilst much of the talk was of the known concerns of the referendum result, such as freedom of movement of people, there was also talk about how Brexit will impact the city region in the areas of housing, infrastructure and skills – all key aspects of The Case for Cambridge launched in October 2015.
For more information on what happened, please see the media links in the news item on the Cambridge Ahead website. Baron Lansley and his office are now collating the feedback on the Declaration and Mandate documents received both at the meeting and afterwards and a revised version of both will be posted in due course.
Cambridge Ahead will be working closely with the Cambridge Development Forum in the succeeding weeks to ensure that Cambridge's voice is heard in the corridors of power of the new Government in Whitehall.
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